Sofiia Kulichkova

Self-knowledge is what my art gives me. I’ve learned to enjoy the process, and that’s what I like most about creating art. I work in different techniques and with various materials because I love exploring the full potential of each. I complete the painting, and the painting completes me.

I really like to experiment and paint not only with traditional tools such as brushes but also with unconventional ones like bags, napkins, sponges, etc. I enjoy painting on large formats, as I feel more freedom in doing so.

The main idea of my art is to give people an opportunity to understand themselves and their perspectives by looking at familiar things and rediscovering the simple aspects of life.

I work on a variety of subjects; it’s more important for me to feel what I want to depict, whether it’s an apple or a street in Italy. I’m interested in exploring color combinations and their emotional effects on people in my work.
I try to capture the essence of what is being portrayed without being overly detailed, leaving space for the viewer’s imagination. I’m inspired by the space around me and the way nature and humanity coexist.

I was born in 1989 in Rostov-on-Don. From 2008 to 2012, I studied at Southern State University as an economist.
Currently, I live and work in Frankfurt, Germany.

In 2020, I studied drawing and illustration with A. Lavdovskaya, M. Yankovskaya, A. Kaznacheeva, E. Zhuravleva, and B. Breitenstein.
I also studied oil and acrylic painting with Lee Ande and Y. Balkizova.
In 2023, I took an extensive course on watercolor improvisation with Ekaterina Maltseva.
Now, I am learning and improving my skills online at Prostaya School.

At the moment, I am painting using mixed techniques; I enjoy experimenting.

Selected exhibitions:

2023 - group exhibition, IWS Aban Institute international watercolor contest and exhibition, Turkey, Istanbul
2022 - group exhibition, Sholokhov cultural center, Rostov-on-Don, Russia
2021 - personal exhibition, cafe "Teplo", Rostov-on-Don, Russia
2020 - group exhibition, public library, Rostov-on-Don, Russia
2020 - group exhibition, creative space, Rostov-on-Don, Russia
2019 - group exhibition, Rostov Museum of Modern Art, Rostov-on-Don, Russia